I guess I’d be interested to know whether or not you’ve actually sat and read OPFA? You seem to have some awful misconceptions about what qualifies for “organic” in the United States. No hormones, herbicides, pesticides, or sewage sludge? Really? Soluble Kelp (a MAJOR organic nutrient) is full of hormones…just because they’re plant hormones doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t detrimental in excess. Pesticides? Come now…you certainly must know that “organic” doesn’t mean they don’t use pesticides. And you must know that while those pesticides must contain naturally derived ACTIVE ingredients (azidrachthins, pyrethrins), the INERTS can be anything from petroleum distillates to god knows what. (And thanks to EPA labelling standards, we probably won’t EVER know what’s in them…) Not to mention the problem large commercial “organic” operations have with remineralization of the soil…no wonder the resultant produce is less nutrient dense. As a professional in the field, I’m slightly aghast at your confusion of what qualifies as “organic” and what is truly “sustainable”. And BioSolids are the wave of the future for “organic” nutrients.

It really feels like you’re doing your readers a disservice by continuing to promulgate the idea that “organic” means “better”, when in fact, as it currently stands, it just means “different” and “more expensive”. Perhaps we need to shift the debate a little…because as it stands, your claims as to what qualifies as “organic” are NOT in-line with the regulatory standards for “organic”.

Sincerely,
Austin Craig